But it wasn’t nice for Joseph, Mary and the young baby Jesus. They escaped to Egypt before Herod the Great went on a tirade and murdered all the baby boys two years and under in Bethlehem who are called the “Holy Innocents,” the first martyrs talked about last week. They were probably down in Egypt for some months (the time they were down in Egypt is unknown). I’m sure they were getting homesick. They were fulfilling the Word of God that came to Joseph in a dream. They were not on vacation and, I’m sure, very eager to get back home. But they wouldn’t go “home” where they planned to live out the rest of their days. Remember, that even though Mary and Joseph lived in Nazareth, they needed to go “home” to Bethlehem to register because of the census required by Caesar Augustus. Bethlehem was the “City of David,” their “fore-father.”

Their plan was that after time passed and Herod died, they would go back to live in the City of David. But this was not to be. Archelaus ruled in Judea in place of his father Herod the Great. Archelaus is described as “unusually cruel” which is an interesting way to describe him because who could be more cruel that his father who killed all the young baby boys in Bethlehem? Archelaus must have been “very cruel.” As a matter of fact, Augustus banished Archelaus not even two years after he started his reign in Judea. His territory became a Roman province under the rule of a prefect called Coponius.

So Jesus, Mary and Joseph left Egypt and lived for many years in that region of Galilee which was to the north, about a three days journey, of Bethlehem. The place was called Nazareth and this was no mistake. They called Jesus a “Nazarene” though His roots are found in the House of David, not in Galilee. Calling Jesus a “Nazarene” is no mistake either. You see, the word Nazarene is not only connected to the town where Jesus grew up, it is also synonymous with the word “despised.” Remember, it was Nathanael who responded to Philip who said, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote – Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” And Nathanael responded, “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?”

Jesus was despised indeed – with actions and with words. Jesus was despised as a little child – a threat to Herod the Great – that he would murder the little children in Bethlehem. Jesus was despised, even at times by those who didn’t believe that anything good could possibly come from the place where Jesus lived. We know of those who despised Jesus – like the Pharisees, Sadducees, and the Scribes. We know of the rulers and the leaders who desired for Him to disappear. But also, at times, those who followed Jesus despised the Lord. The name – Nazarene – is quite fitting for a Savior who was despised by men.

We think of the word “despised” as very descriptive and too harsh. Words used to describe this word are “loath” and “scorn.” We don’t like to hear this word and in today’s culture, one doesn’t hear this word all that much. It’s too heavy of a word. It makes too much of an impact. It shouldn’t be used, some would say, because it’s too terminal – It’s too harsh – it’s too much. We surely don’t want to offend by using such a word. We surely don’t want people to think that something they love, or care about, is actually “despised.” Perhaps, we think, it might be better to stay away from it all together.

But I don’t think we should stay away from this word. This world is bent on teaching us that there is no such thing as black and white. Everything comes in shades of gray because there are, according to the world, so many forms of truth. A word like despised would suggest that there is a wrong way. A word like despised suggests that there are things in this world that are completely bad, completely rejected and cast out. A word like despised, if it suggests that there is definitely things to be rejected, shows us how there must also be things that are definitely accepted. That’s very difficult for such a “subjective” world such as ours that doesn’t want to believe that there is such a thing as an absolute truth.

But have you noticed how God’s people, have “gone along” with such a notion? This is troubling to me. We don’t like the word “despised” but it’s a good and right word to use. There are things in the world that are “despised” by God. There are things in this world that are completely rejected by God. He did make these things to be the way we have made them to be. We have taken God’s gift of life and shown how it can be taken away. God despises man’s decision to “take life” when God has not sanctioned such action. We have taken God’s good gift of love and have turned it into desires and lust that fulfills man’s needs instead of the purposes for which God intended. God despises this use of love and sex. We have taken God’s Word and made it fit our interpretations. We have taken God’s church and turned into a den of gossip or what might resemble the local country club or social gathering. We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves, we have not held to God’s commands the way we should. God despises such things, our actions, our thoughts, and our interpretations.

There are definitely things that God despises and its okay to use such language – because it’s true. Are there things you loath? Are there places and practices you scorn? I hope you do.

On New Years Eve we spoke together a litany from Ecclesiastes chapter three. It tells us in those words that there is a time for most everything. There is a time to love and there is a time to hate – says the writer. Really? Is there a time to hate? Absolutely! That which our Lord despises, is to be despised by man. Sin and the devil are to be despised by man. The use of war for personal gain is to be despised by man. The plotting and the scheming are to be despised by man. The use of God’s good gifts for selfish reasons is to be despised by man.

But instead the world has despised the one who made all the rules and then even came into this world to fulfill all of the Father’s laws. The one who would reconcile man to God – Jesus Christ the Lord – would be the one despised. The one who gave all the good gifts in the first place would be the one despised.

But God’s plan would take our “despising” and turn it into a means by which He would give us life. This plan was to take man’s desire to despise the one who sets the rules and the giver of all that is good to work for His good purpose. The Lord knows how to take what we have messed up and use it for our blessed benefit. Our plan would be to hurt and injure our Lord. His plan would be take every bit of it upon Himself as a part of what He would accomplish for us. Our plan is to slander and even crucify. His plan would be to take those harmful words and show the truth and, even more so, accomplish the truth by taking the death our sins deserve and turn it into our precious life. Our plan despises. God’s plan recreates unto righteousness in His blood.

It’s so nice to get away from time to time. The hustle and bustle of day to day life makes “taking a break” a necessity. It’s also nice to come back home. This, beloved in the Lord, is your home. This is your family. Come home regularly. Here He feeds you. Here He gives you strength. There is nothing to fear here – no insane rulers or threats. Keep on coming back to where you belong. Our Lord has brought us to this place. Our Lord places you and His people in Him through what He has done for you. Amen.

The peace of God which passes all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.